1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to assemblies for cooking various food compositions, initially having a liquid, semi-liquid, semi-solid, or solid consistency, comprising at least one mold housing and a mold chamber, wherein the cooking procedure takes place while the mold housing and associated mold chamber are maintained in a substantially upright orientation. As a result, the cooked food product is elongated or otherwise dimensioned and configured to substantially correspond to the interior dimensions and configurations of the mold chamber.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of cookware including pots, pans, baking dishes, etc., have been known and commonly utilized for centuries. Food to be cooked is placed within the particular cooking vessel and heat generally from an exterior source such as a stove, hot plate, etc., is applied thereto. Once the cooking procedure has been completed the cooked food product is removed from the cooking vessel and placed on some type of serving plate or the like. Common to this type of conventional cooking is that the cooked product does not assume any specific or customized shape or configuration. It is of course recognized that various types of food molds are utilized primarily, but not exclusively, for decorative purposes in the preparation of cakes, pastries, gels and other food types which may be easily shaped or formed. However, such “food shaping” is generally limited to the restricted food types as set forth above or to frozen food products.
However, there is a desire for cooking devices which are capable of customizing a variety of different food products into potentially utilitarian configurations. Such shaping of food products may also be more appealing from an aesthetic point of view as well as providing certain practical features, which make the consumption and handling of the specifically shaped food product more enjoyable. By way of example, the conventional “hot dog” or sausage type sandwich is enjoyed in many countries throughout the world not only because of the flavor and texture but also because of the elongated configuration allows a hot dog, sausage, etc., to be picked up and consumed without the need for forks, knifes, or like eating utensils.
Accordingly, the desirability exists for a cooking assembly capable of customizing the shape and/or dimension of a variety of different food products so that they will be more attractive from an aesthetic and/or utilitarian point of view. Further, such a proposed cooking assembly should be capable of being structurally modified for use commercially and domestically without the need for extensive experience, cooking skill, or time consuming preparation, prior to and during the cooking procedure.
Various embodiments of such a proposed cooking assembly should include the ability to prepare a single cooked food product or alternatively a plurality of food products which may include common or different food ingredients. In addition, such a proposed cooking assembly should be capable of cooking a food composition which includes at least one component which is originally in a liquid, semi-liquid or like consistency form. By way of example, various egg mixtures or compositions may be prepared while in a substantially liquid form, wherein additional food ingredients may be added to the egg mixture. When properly combined, the mixture may be poured or otherwise appropriately be disposed into one or more “mold chambers” for the cooking thereof. Accordingly, the cooking procedure would thereby include the shaping and dimensioning of the final cooked product so as to correspond to the mold chamber in which it is cooked. As a result, the aforementioned food composition, initially in the form of a liquid mixture would be capable of being formed into the substantially elongated “hot dog” or sausage type configuration which would be appealing both from the utilitarian stand point of eating convenience, as well as the aesthetics in appearance.
Accordingly, such a proposed cooking assembly should be capable of cooking a substantially liquid food composition in the aforementioned mold chamber(s), while operatively disposed and maintained in a substantially upright orientation in order to facilitate the customized shaping of the final cooked product in an elongated configuration, for example, a “hot dog” shaped configuration.